Guarding the Future: Strategy, Security & Stewardship in a Changing Maritime Domain

Original broadcast 4/20/25

Presented by Iron Mountain & Carahsoft

Recorded on-site at Sea-Air-Space 2025, this special edition of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose captures front-line insights from Coast Guard leadership and industry innovators shaping the future of maritime strategy. Against the backdrop of the largest maritime expo in the U.S., Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson discusses the operational realities of securing the Indo-Pacific and Arctic domains. Melissa Carson from Iron Mountain Government Solutions shares how modern data infrastructure is essential for AI-driven defense missions. And Dr. Abbie Tingstad of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy breaks down the evolving strategic calculus in the polar regions. These conversations—filmed in the Fed Gov Today mobile studio—spotlight the intersection of policy, technology, and readiness in the maritime environment.

Securing the Pacific: Maritime Borders, Drug Interdiction & Global Partnerships

Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson, Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, provides a sweeping strategic overview of the threats facing the Pacific theater. He highlights the surging maritime migration around the California coast, the role of the Coast Guard in drug interdiction, and the critical need for recapitalization of aging cutters, helicopters, and aircraft. VADM Tiongson also discusses deepening international partnerships in the Western Pacific and rising concerns over increased Chinese and Russian incursions into U.S. Arctic waters.

Key Takeaways:

• Maritime border incursions are rising rapidly, requiring increased presence and interagency coordination on the West Coast.

• Transnational criminal organizations are exploiting the maritime domain for cocaine and fentanyl transport, threatening U.S. public health and security.

• The Coast Guard urgently needs modern aviation and cutter platforms to meet its global mission and Arctic demands​.

Data Before Deployment: Laying the Groundwork for AI in Defense Operations

Melissa Carson, Vice President and General Manager at Iron Mountain Government Solutions, discusses the growing demand for data governance across defense operations. She explains how legacy systems with massive amounts of unstructured data have limited AI’s usefulness—and how structuring data retroactively and proactively is critical for mission success. She draws a sharp distinction between data requirements in civilian vs. military settings, underscoring the risks of unmanaged data in cyber and physical warfare contexts.

Key Takeaways:

• 80% of legacy defense data is unstructured, hindering AI and machine learning efforts.

• Data visibility and governance are essential for cybersecurity and operational efficiency.

• Structuring both historical and incoming data is crucial to create lessons learned and improve future mission performance.

Polar Priorities: Strategic Presence & Partnerships in the Arctic

Dr. Abbie Tingstad, Research Professor at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, unpacks the strategic rationale behind the U.S. push for polar security cutters and sustained Arctic presence. She discusses how presence is more than access—it’s about persistent, distributed capabilities across domains including cyber, air, land, and sea. Tingstad explores the differences in Chinese and Russian interests in the region, the importance of partnerships with Canada and Nordic nations, and the opportunity to shape Arctic governance in a time of rapid environmental and geopolitical change.

Key Takeaways:

• The U.S. must develop multi-domain capabilities to maintain true presence in the Arctic.

• China and Russia have distinct interests in the region, and their cooperation is likely strategic, not enduring.

• Environmental shifts and global competition create both risk and opportunity for U.S. Arctic policy and acquisition strategy.